Posted on 06/25/2010 9:37:43 AM PDT by kristinn
A video report by WKMG 6 Orlando reporter Tony Pipitone titled "Money Trail Links Grayson to Fla. Tea Party" exposes financial ties between Democrat Representative Alan Grayson and several "Florida Tea Party" candidates. Grayson is suspected of fronting bogus Tea Party candidates, including Peg Dunmire who is running against Grayson, to split the Tea Party vote so that Democrats win elections.
Pipitone reports "Florida Tea Party" candidate Raoul Rodriguez (sp?) recently bought radio ads for Grayson on an Orlando station. On the paperwork for the ads, Rodriguez identified hmself as the treasurer for Friends to Re-Elect Alan Grayson, a committee authorized by Grayson.
The nexus between the "Florida Tea Party" and Grayson appears to be a Doug Guetzloe, according to Pipitone's report from a few days ago titled, "Grayson Paid Company Formed By Fla. Tea Party Candidate:
U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson's campaign has paid nearly $20,000 to a corporation created by a Florida Tea Party candidate, with help from that party's top consultant, lending support to Republicans' claims that Grayson is funneling some of his $30-plus million fortune toward a party that is running a candidate against him in the general election.
SNIP
A Local 6 investigation has found Grayson’s campaign spent $19,898 with Public Opinion Strategies Inc., a company formed by Victoria Torres, a Florida Tea Party candidate for a state House of Representatives seat in Pinellas County. Torres has said she created the company in December 2008 with the help of the Florida Tea Party’s public relations consultant, Doug Guetzloe.
Guetzloe and his attorney, Frederic B. O’Neal, who created the Florida Tea Party last year, are being sued by Republican tea party movement activists who claim the pair created the Florida Tea Party to “hijack” the tea party movement for their own “gains (and) profits.”
The owners of Public Opinion Strategies -- the people who stand to benefit financially from the multimillionaire Grayson’s campaign money -- are not revealed in public records.
The only corporate director listed in state records is the Florida Tea Party candidate Victoria Torres, who swore in court papers in April that she has no cash, no income, no potential income, no stock and no possible asset from any corporation.
In a financial disclosure statement filed last week with her candidacy papers, Torres revealed she earned $10,000 last year from Public Opinion Strategies, but claims no financial interest in the company. Grayson paid the company $16,898 last year and $3,000 in February 2010, according to filings with the Federal Elections Commission.
SNIP
State elections records confirm Guetzloe is working hard for the Florida Tea Party while promoting that party’s candidate against Grayson.
Guetzloe’s consulting company has donated $30,800 in public relations services to the Florida Tea Party, more than any other outside consultant helping the party.
In turn, the Florida Tea Party has donated $7,500 in public relations consulting to the campaign of Peg Dunmire, a former Republican chosen by the Florida Tea Party to run as its candidate in Grayson’s Eighth Congressional District.
SNIP
Yesterday, genuine Tea Party activists held a press conference at the Orlando Board of Elections office to urge Dunmire and the other "Florida Tea Party" candidates to drop out of the elections. The press conference was crashed by Guetzloe, Dunmire and others who acted like Democrats. They constantly interrupted the speaker and threatened to call the police.
video report here titled Police Visit Tea Party News Conference.
The Empty Quarter of the Arabian peninsula sounds like a nice place.
The environmentalists will like the undeveloped atmosphere, the diversity crowd will appreciate an exotically different perspective on women's rights and religious freedom, and for the first time in their adult lives, most will be really proud of their country.
No doubt in my mind that Axelrod and Zero do know something about this, even though they follow Chicago political ways and will deny it.
Grayson is a very devious and EVIL man! I hope someone with deep pockets will expose him!
We should have expected the fake TEA parties, it sure shows how dishonest the left is.
Shouldn't a Tea Party type voter be smart enough to read up and know about the candidate they plan to vote for? If not, we are no different that Al Greene voters.
Sounds like a great place for them!
Gqayson realy is DOGSH!T
Gayson realy is DOGSH!T
Gayson realy is DOGSH!T
You betcha! Lots of vetting not only of candidates, but vetting of some “Tea Party Groups” and “9/12 Groups”. We need to be aware of grassroots groups that are promoting one particular candidate but not making it known. Florida District 8 seems to have it's share! Read here:
Well, this is hardly a news flash to me. I could see it coming. The Tea Party “movement” has been an opportunity for several political stripes to throw American politics into confusion, the first and foremost being the Libertarian influence.
The main theme of the Tea Party is to bash Republicans. They’re all RINOs, doncha know? That has to come from a leftist influence.
Libertarians have always aided the aims of the democrats. The funny part is the way they have become allied with the hard right, in the form of Club for Growth.
It all appears to be a zany circus to me, so I stay out of it.
Uh, what?!?
When did advocating limited government, lower taxes, less government spending, free trade, and economic freedom become "hard right"?
Since Club for Growth founder Stephen Moore has held, or holds, positions of high honor or responsibility with conservative orgs and entities such as the Heritage Foundation and National Review, are they "hard right" too? Since Moore is a partner in Art Laffer's consulting firm, does that make supply side economics "hard right"? Was Reagan "hard right"?
okay, so who is REALLY behind Grayson? He’s about as idiotic as the Burt Reynolds character in Striptease. Somebody is his sponsor. He doesn’t have the intelligence to get as far as he has on his own.
don’t waste your time. He’s completely ignorant of anything that has “libertarian” attached to it.
I understand that in Michigan, democrats/liberals are registering groups with the TEA Party name and then suing legitimate TEA party orgs for “name” infringement and using the front group to confuse the electorate. Not to mention the potential to cause disturbances using the TEA party banner. My county group has given up the TEA Party label and we go by another name but call each event a TEA Party.
One big mistake Grayson is making... Conservatives don’t vote for someone until they research a candidate’s principles and ethics.
Only Dems blindly vote D. (That’s D for DUH.)
Dems play dirty - pigs.
Do you think the Washington Post will carry this story? Or are they two peas in the same pod?
You are obviously good at spotting a “photoshop” of a picture. At the link below you will see blatant doctoring of a campaign video done by one of the FL District 8 candidates. You will see a Dan Fanelli sign turn into a Patricia Sullivan sign right before your eyes!
Yes, dirty tricks we expect from the Grayson DEMS, but we don't so much expect dirty tricks from conservatives! We expect better than that from our side!
I expect dirty tricks from all sides.
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